Self-supporting golf-bag



T. W. MAY.

SELF SUPPORTING GOLF BAG.

APPLICATION FILEDA MAY 3. 191s.

193845078., Patented July 12, 192K.,

THEODORE TN. VMA'Y, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 WILLEM E. BCJKING-HM, 0F CHICAGO, ILLENOIS.

SELF-SUPPORTING GOLF-BAG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July i2, 192th Application led May 3, 1918. Serial No. 232,201.

To all 'whom z'zf may concern.'

Be it known that l, THEoDonE W. MAY, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, i-n the county of Cook and State `of illinois, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Self-Supporting Golf- Bags, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in bags for the storage and transporting of golf clubs-commonly denominated golf bags.

rl`he usual construction of golf bags is such that the same will not stand erect unless sustained by means extraneous to the bag. The supporting of these bags in erect position, when playing golf, is highly desirable in order that the several clubs may be available for ready selection for the ditfeient strokes. Ordinarily, golf bags are handled by Caddies. Frequently, however, players dispense with Caddies and carry their bags. In the latter circumstance, the player after selectin the appropriate club drops the bagv on tie ground, makes the stroke, and then reaches down for the bag to replace the club. This usually follows before he has 'determined the final destination of the ball, or has followed its iiight. Loss of balls results and diiculty is experienced in locating the balls after they have come to rest.

rThe present invention aims to provide a golf bag which will be self-sustaining, thereby overcoming the objections above noted, and through the medium of which the bag will stand erect and be thus available to the player for the expeditious removal or relaceinent of clubs as occasion may require.

he necessity for stooping for the bag, or groping for the same while the player is endeavoring to follow the flight of the ball, is thereby eliminated, and after its destination is observed the player may conveniently replace his club, grasp the bag without undue exertion, and proceed to the ball for eii'ecting the next play.

A further object of the invention is to provide a golf bag of the class described which is so constructed that the requisite supporting mechanism may be embodied therein without diminishing the storage space of the bag ormutilating the appearance of the latter. rlhe construction, vfurthermore, is such that the mechanism may be easily operated, and when moved to nonsupporting position, the same will be eectually concealed and prevented from intertering with the free handling of the bag.

@ther objects and advantages of the improvements will appear as the nature of thev same is better understood, the invention consisting substantially in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and iinally pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood, however, that the form herein shown and described is not to be taken in a vrestrictive sense, the saine being but an illustrative embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings- Figure l is a side elevation of a golf bag embodying the herein described invention, the supporting mechanism being shown in open or distended position;

FigzQ is a sectional plan view thereof, the parts being illustrated in the position appearing in F ig. l;

F ig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the base of the bag and supporting mechanism associated therewith; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view corresponding to F ig. 2, but with the parts in closed position.

Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings, the numeral l designates a golf bag the body of which is formed of material commonly employed for this purpose, and said body or bag l0 is likewise provided with the usual stays 11 incased by coverings 12 which extend lengthwise of the bag. At the lower portion of the bag is a iei'rule 13 in which the bottom Moi the bag is arranged, and said bottom l is posiytioned at a point above the lower edge of the ferrule 13 wherebyl to torni a space within the lower portion of the ferrule 13 in which is received the supporting vmeans 'for the bag hereinafter described.

The numeral 15 designates'a supporting plate the dimensions of'which are such that the edges thereof will extend over the lower edges ofthe 'errule 13. This plate is preterably metal to give it stability. A t the center of the supporting plate l5 is a vertically disposed stud i6, the lower end oi which is secured in 'the supporting plate 15 by being upset,. and journaled on said stud 16, for pivotal movement thereon, is a pair of gear segments 17. These. segments are in the form of flat plates arranged at right angles to each other, the ends of said, plates 17 being provided with gear teeth 18 arranged on 'a curve the radius of which is struck from the vertically extending stud 16. as a center. The plates 17 are riveted together, as at 19, or otherwise secured in a suitable manner, whereby to retain them at right angles to each other. Each oit the gear segments 17 has its teeth in engagement with a pinion 20 which is carried by the upstanding arm 21 of an angular supporting foot 22. These supporting feet 22 are formed by right angularly disposed arms, and in their distended position, illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, they provide an enlarged base for the bag so that the latter will be maintained in upright position and without the necessity of being supported by any other means.

A spacing washer 23 is interposed between the supporting plate and gear segments 17, -while a similar washer 24C is likewise arranged labove the gear segments and surrounds the upper end of the stud 16. The latter has its upper extremity reduced to torni a neck 25 which inds a seat in a securing plate 26.

Tnterposed between the supporting plate 15 and the securing 4plate 26, and arranged at the marginal portions thereof, is a series ot spacing blocks 27, the ends of these blocks being suiiiciently separated to accommodate the pinions 20, and said supporting plate, spacing blocks and securing plate are held together in associated relation by means ot a plurality of bolts 28, or equivalent tastening means. This constitutes the supporting mechanism for the bag as a unitary structure, which may be introduced to and removed from the space below the bottom 11i of the bag. When introduced into that space the supporting mechanism is Jfastened therein through the medium of a series of screws 29 which penetrate the terrule 13 and enter the spacing blocks 27.

For the operation of the herein described supporting mechanism one of the upstanding arms 21 is elongated to provide a vertically disposed connecting rod 30 which is received by one of the stay coverings 12, and concealed thereby, and an operating handle 31 is connected to the upper end ot the rod 30, the stay covering 12 being suitably apertured for permitting the operating handle 31 to project at the exterior of the bag to be conveniently manipulated.

Tt is also desirable that in the operation ot the supporting feet 22 to and froml their distended positions means be provided for assisting the movement thereof. To this end a pair of substantially il aped springs 32 is employed. d are arranged Lee-inve in crossed relation, the ends of each spring being directed to diagonally-opposite pinions 20 and being suitably connected to said pinions so that in the movement oi' the latter the springs will be slightly compressed and expanded when the feet 22 are swung to closed and opened positions, respectively. Tnasmuch as the connecting rod 30 actuates but one ot the pinions, it is obvious that the springs 32 greatly assist the throw or' the feet 22 moving to and from the positions mentioned.

Tn order to limit the movement of the gear segments 17, and thus properly position the supporting Jfeet 22, both in open and closed position thereof, a pair of stop pins ,33 isv employed. These pins are arranged at opposite sides of the stud 16, and in the spaces between contiguous ends of the gear segments 17. They are carried by the supporting plate 15 and project upwardly a suficient distance to oi the gear segments in the movement of the latter.

Tn the use of the herein described invention it is evident that the same may be applied to a golf bag without material modification of the present day construction of the latter. rThe location of the operating mechanism is such as not to diminish the storage space of the bag; neither will it mutilate the appearance of the latter. Being applied' at the bottom of the bag it is edectually concealed and does not interfere with the tree handling of the bag, and the connecting rod 30, being accommodated by the stay covering 12 of one of the stays l1, finds a covering in one of thekusual adjuncts of a bag. The closed position of the supporting feet 22 is illustrated 'in Fig. 4f, and it will be observed that the respective feet are nested together at the lower portion'oi the ba 10 and lie in close relation to each other. it is desired to support the bag in erect p0- sition, the operating handle 31 is manipulated to rotate the connecting rod 30. This actuates the pinion 2O connected thereto which pinion, in turn, operates the gear teeth .18 of that end of the gear segment which is in mesh with this pinion. Movement is, therefore, imparted simultaneously to all of the pinions 20, and the supporting feet 22are thrown outwardly to distended position illustrated in Fig. 2. This enlarges the base of the bag 10 and obviously sustains the bag in upright position. en it is desired to close the feet 22 it is simply necessary to operate the handle 31 in areverse manner tov that for opening the feet, whereupon the same will move to the positionshown in Fig. 4, and again become nested, in which position the feet are out of the way, andthe bag may be readily transported or carried about withoutinterternnee and without the supporting teet it@ being be contacted by both` iti@ iid

lio

combination with the body thereof having a space formed at one of its ends, of a support arranged in said space, a plurality of supporting feet pivotally mounted on said support and capable of simultaneous movement to supporting and non-supporting positions, and means for actuating said supporting feet.

13. In a bag of the class described, the combination with the body thereof having a space formed at one' of its ends, of a support arranged in said space, a plurality of supporting feet pivotally mounted on said support and capable of simultaneous movement into supporting and non-supporting positions,- a pinion carried by each of said supporting feet, gear connections between said pinions for simultaneously actuating the same, and means foi' acuating said gear connections.

14. In a bag of the class described, the combination with the body thereof having a space at its bottom end, of supporting means detachably mounted in said space and including a plurality of pivoted supporting feet, said feet when closed nesting together on the bottom of the bag. and when open projecting beyond the edges thereof, actuating means for imparting simultaneous movement tosaid supporting feet, and means for operating said actuating means.

15. In a bag of the class described, the combination with the body thereof having a space at its bottom end, of supporting means detachably mounted in said space and including a plurality of pivoted supporting feet, said feet when closed nesting together on the bottom of the bag and when open projecting beyond the edges thereof, actuating means for imparting simultaneous masacre movement to said supporting feet, and means arranged at the side of the bag for operating said actuating means.

16. In a bag of the class described, the combination with the body thereof having a space at its bottom end, of supporting means detachably mounted in said space, and including a plurality of pivoted supporting feet equi-distantly spaced about the peripheral edges of the bottom, said feet when closed nesting together on the bottom of the bag' and when open projecting beyond the edges thereof, a pinion connected to each of said supporting feet, gear connections between said pinions for imparting simultaneous movement thereto, and means arranged at the side of the bag for operating said gear connections.

17. In a bag of the class described, the combination with the body thereof having a space at its bottom end, of supporting means detachably mountedvin said space, and including a plurality of pivoted supporting feet equi-distantly spaced about the peripheral edges of the bottom, said feet when closed nesting ltogether on the bottom of the bag and when open projecting beyond the edges thereof, said supporting feet, a pair of gear segments arranged at right angles to each other and engaging said pinions for imparting simultaneous movement thereto. and means for actuating said gear segments.

In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THEQDORE W. MAY. Witnesses: WM. NEVARRE CROMWELL,

MARY C. Baowniz.

a pinion connected to each of 

